At Show Baseball Academy in Lawrence, Jeff Allison is teaching kids pitching and the importance of making good decisions.

The Peabody High superstar's 97 mph fastball got him drafted by the Florida Marlins.

But with the success and fast times, came an addiction to pills and eventually heroin.

"I didn't know anything at that point. I was vulnerable, naive and pretty stupid in regards to life. It is Russian roulette with your life. I look back on that and it kind of disgusts me," said Allison.

The Marlins kept Allison for nearly eight years, but let him go in 2011. His career never really got off the ground.

Today, Allison wears two caps: teaching coaching tips and lessons in the big leagues of life, where temptations can lead to dark places.

"This epidemic is getting bigger. It's getting worse and it's awful. It's a monster out there, and once it grabs you, it really grabs you," said Allison. "I see all these kids with such talent and such momentum going into college and possibly professional baseball. The only thing I can do is try to tell them not to do the things I did."

Former Red Sox catcher Steve Lomasney, Allison's boss, said those lessons are invaluable to young ball players.

"That will hopefully help these kids understand that these things are out there, and the stuff's there. And if he can stop kids from veering in the wrong direction, we've done a good job here," said Lomasney.

Allison said he still struggles to accept that he threw so much away. But he's grateful to be in a position to help young players play it straight.

"I did it and I am still here to talk about it where I can help other kids who are in that situation," said Allison.

Allison said he still dreams about getting back on the mound for the majors, but knows it's unlikely.

Allison said he's happy with his life now, knowing he can teach the game he loves and shepherd young players through the pitfalls of being in the spotlight.

ORGANS, INCLUDING STOMACH, LIVER, PANCREAS REPLACED. HIS MOTHER SAYS HE'S NEVER FELT BETTER. GREAT FOR ADONIS. A ONE TIME MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER WHO LOST ALMOST EVERYTHING TO DRUG ADDICTION MAKES A COMEBACK. IT'S NOT IN PRO BALL. HE'S TEACHING THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING GOOD DECISIONS. AND IN BASEBALL-- AT SHOW BASEBALL ACADEMY IN LAWRENCE, COACH JEFF ELLISS KNOWS PITCHING. THE PEABODY HIGH'S SUPERSTAR FAST BALL GOT HIM DRAFTED BY THE MARLINS. WITH THE FAST TIMES GOT HIM' ADDICTED TO PILLS AND HEROIN. I WAS PRETTY NAIVE AND STUPID, IT'S RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH YOUR LIFE. THEY LET HIM GO IN 2011 AFTER EIGHT YEARS. HIS CAREER NEVER GOT OFF THE GROUND. TODAY HE WEARS TWO CAPS, PITCHING TIPS AND LESSONS IN LIFE WHERE TEMPTATION CAN LEAD TO THIS. IT'S AWFUL, IT'S A MONSTER OUT THERE. AND TO SEE ALL OF THESE KIDS WITH SUCH TALENT AND MOMENTUM GOING INTO COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, AND POSSIBLY PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LIKE I DID, AND THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS TRY TO TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO DO, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT I DIDN'T DO. JEFF'S BOSS FORMER CATCHER, SAYS THAT THOSE LESSONS ARE INVALUABLE TO YOUNG BALL PLAYERS. HOPEFULLY HELP THESE KIDS UNDERSTAND THAT THESE THINGS ARE OUT THERE AND THE STUFF IS REAL AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT KEEPS THE KID FROM VEERING IN THAT DIRECTION, WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB HERE. ALLISON STRUGGLES TO ACCEPT HE THREW SO MUCH AWAY, BUT HE'S GRATEFUL TO HELP YOUNG PLAYERS PLAY IT STRAIGHT. I'M HERE AND I CAN TALK ABOUT IT WHERE I CAN HELP OTHER KIDS THAT ARE IN THAT SITUATION. AND HE SAYS HE DREAMS ABOUT GETTING BACK ON THE MOUND FOR THE MAJORS, BUT KNOWS IT'S UNLIKELY. HE SAYS HE'S HAPPY WITH HIS LIFE NOW KNOWING HE CAN TEACH